Books like 'Playing My Cards Right'
Readers who enjoyed Playing My Cards Right by N. Owens also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary dark romance mafia vengeance
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Intolerable Bishop by Brooklyn Cross
The arrogant bishop feels superior, but it will race the fastest to its downfall. I had been looking forward to summer break since learning I was going home for a month. Not only would I see my Aunt Nadia and my best friend Lizzy, but I wasn’t traveling alone.But being home wasn’t at all what I thought it would be…I’m drowning in mysteries and have to find the answers or die trying... -
Empire Nightclub #1-4 by K.A. Tucker
One visit to her father in prison—convicted for a murder he didn’t commit—and she's attracted the attention of the last man she'd ever want knowing that she exists.This bundle includes all four full-length books in the highly addictive Empire Nightclub series!Sweet MercyGabriel FallenDirty EmpireFallen EmpireThis series is intended for mature audiences... -
Sins: The Debt: Sins, Book 3 by Lexxi James
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsTiaI've done my best to avoid him.But when his dark eyes lock onto mine, this time, I know there's nowhere I can go. Nowhere I can hide.Nowhere he won't find me.He is Smoke. Head of the D'Angelos.Gorgeous and haunting. Brutal and ruthless.He rules Chicago, and I owe him a debt. And now…he owns me.SmokeI should send her away…This beautiful, innocent girl that conjures the best and worst in me...Categorized as:
mafia vengeance contemporary from hate to love suspense dark age difference arranged marriage -
Stolen Sin by B. B. Hamel
A standalone fake marriage mafia story with a couple of enemies that turn into steamy lovers from bestselling author B. B. Hamel.My boss caught me trying to steal from him.My punishment?Get pregnant with his baby.My father was scammed out of everything he owns, and I need to find a way to bail him out of trouble... -
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Love & Power by Elizabeth Knight
Love is what started this whole thing. A man who loved two women. A mother who sacrificed herself for her daughter. A daughter who will stop at nothing to take down those who killed and threatened the ones she loves. I’ve been told all my life that love was a weakness in our world. That couldn’t be further from the truth, but that’s only half of what I need to finish the job... -
Libra by Marilena Barbagallo
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsTerza nella linea dei Dodici e prima a essersi sacrificata per la dinastia. Nessuno mi ha obbligata a sposarmi, l’ho voluto io. Dovevo scappare dai miei demoni e dai miei sentimenti sbagliati. Desideravo vincolarmi, in modo da non poter essere più libera di correre verso l’oscurità...Categorized as:
vengeance mafia dark age difference length-long contemporary dual-pov first-person-pov -
Torin by Lane Hart, D.B. West
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsEvil comes in many forms, and right now it’s a beautiful, raven-haired woman hanging upside down on a stripper pole. Here in Vegas, they call her Destiny, but I know exactly who she really is. Lexi Cruz and her father ruined my life. They blackmailed me for millions. And then, when I refused to pay them another dime, they murdered my old lady and our unborn son... -
Yakuza Fiance: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii Vol. 7 by Asuka Konishi
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsAs Kirishima's birthday approaches he has a favor to ask from there's someone he'd like her to meet. They make a trip to Kirishima's childhood home, a visit with an old relative far overdue. Yoshino finally has an opportunity to learn more about her enigmatic fiance. Meanwhile, with the Kirigaya Clan deep in murky conspiracies, the mysterious Azami schemes... -
Spiders in the Grove by J.A. Redmerski
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsIzabel and Naeva find themselves right where they wanted to be in Mexico: captured and held in the slave compounds owned by the Ruiz family. But the two are soon separated and forced into very different—but equally dangerous—situations... -
Winston by Lane Hart, D.B. West
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsWinston Prescott has been a grumpy SOB for the past ten years. None of his brothers in the Savage Kings MC knew why, not until the day one of them made the mistake of posting a sexy centerfold on the wall of the clubhouse.The gorgeous model posing topless on sports cars and motorcycles isn’t just any girl. Her name is Zoe Donahue, and she also happens to be Winston’s stepsister... -
Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii Vol. 7 by Asuka Konishi
In this critically acclaimed romantic crime drama, a yakuza granddaughter is sent from Osaka to marry the grandson of a rival family in Tokyo!Yoshino grew up the sheltered yakuza princess of the largest crime family in Osaka, the Somei. Due to her resting bitch face and dangerous family, no man has ever approached her... -
Haven by K.A. Merikan
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 9 ratings— Not the same river, not the same man. —After seven years away, Seth and Domenico are back in Sicily with one goal in mind.Revenge.The man who’d hounded their family is still alive, and as untouchable as he’s always been. While they wait for the right moment to strike, reality clashes with fond memories of home... -
In Havoc Lays Chaos by Samantha Barrett
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsPain.Loss.Revenge.Are you ready to get to know the Dark Knight's twins? Will they be as dark as their father or will they follow after their mother?Are you ready for the final?*In Havoc Lays Chaos is the final book in the Memento Mori series... -
30 Days of Shame by Ginger Talbot
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThe monster draws pleasure from my pain. Now, it's time to fight back.SERGEI30 days of pain have pushed Willow to her limits.My pretty prisoner is no longer meek. She's trying to resist.But my precious prize doesn't know what I know.Nobody has ever won a war against me.Nobody has ever bested me.And she's not going to be the first.Good luck, little Willow.. -
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SINS: Books 1-4 by Emma Slate
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSins of a King (Book 1)Flynn Campbell is a king among men.He plays Manhattan’s elite like pawns on a chessboard.He’s a man you don’t cross, but that’s exactly what my brother has done.Debts must be repaid.But it’s not money Flynn wants…It’s me.Suddenly I’m thrust into a criminal underworld, full of seduction and lies.Ensnared by danger and power, foreign desires burn within me... -
A Fine Line by MercyAnn Summers
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThis book is an interconnected standalone within the Ends World. While you don't have to read the Ends Duet before reading this book, it is recommended that you do in order to understand the entire Ends World up to this point.CarolinaI didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt.That wasn’t my intention.And I knew he would come for me... -
Illicit Captor by Maggie Cole
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsHe kidnapped me to avenge my husband. The husband I’ve never loved. The cruel man my father forced me to marry to teach me a lesson. My husband didn’t think twice about how to carry out those lessons. Now, I’ve gone from one prison to another. My captor is just as ruthless as my husband. He’ll kill, torture, and do everything to hurt my family until no one is left. Except for me...Categorized as:
mafia vengeance suspense dark alpha male contemporary forced proximity from hate to love -
Charming Villain by Cora Kent
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsI don’t want a wife. But in the mafia, marriage isn’t about love—it’s about power.When the Family demands I marry Giovanni Lucatello’s sheltered daughter, I drown my frustration in whiskey and meet a woman who’s everything I shouldn’t bold, sharp-tongued, and tempting as sin. One night with her is unforgettable. But by the next morning, she’s gone. Or so I thought... -
A Single Kiss by Willow Winters
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFrom USA Today bestselling author Willow Winters comes a heart-wrenching, edge-of-your-seat gripping, romantic suspense. I should feel shame for not wanting this to end, but he doesn’t want it to end either. When the darkness sets in, the flames all flickered out, and the loud click of the locks signal it’s over, that’s when reality comes back. The war. The drugs... -
Duty by Bethany-Kris
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThey say heavy is the head that wears the crown … Andino Marcello’s world is turned upside down when he becomes the next heir apparent to the Marcello empire. He was comfortable in his place as a Capo, but comfort is for the weak in the world of mafioso. The boss’s seat is waiting... -
Ace by Brooke Summers
All she’s wanted is to be loved… He only wants fun...Andromeda Peters lives her life in the shadows.Being dealt trauma at such a young age, she steeled her heart against everyone.She never thought she’d find someone she could trust.Until Ace.She’s the daughter of his enemy… He’s the man that she loves…Ace made a vow months ago. He would take out all those that harmed his sister... -
Celt. by London Miller
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWelcome to the Den ... Six minutes is all he needs to get a job done … Kyrnon “Celt” Murphy is one of the best thieves in the world. After all, his childhood was spent with a caravan of Irish Travelers that taught him everything he knows... -
Vengeful Hearts by S. Lexi
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsErika grew up on the streets of New York City. When her baby sister got kidnapped by the most extensive human trafficking ring in the area and eventually murdered, she swore to avenge her death.Blaise grew up in the Italian Mafia; his father was the don...Categorized as:
mafia vengeance contemporary suspense from hate to love strong heroine dark length-long -
Bridges Burned by Marie James
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI didn’t swear vengeance on the Severino Family after Ellie’s death. I was only a child after all.I didn’t swear vengeance when my father, a coward who wasn’t man enough to seek justice for her, drank himself into a divorce.Going after them would be a death sentence.I chose to live my life in the shadows, seeking revenge for others.That was until I ran into the very man that took Ellie’s life... -
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Crown of Bliss: A Billionaire Mafia Romance by B. B. Hamel
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHis obsession. Her salvation.At my lowest, I accept an unimaginable clean up a murder scene to earn one-hundred-grand.Problem is, my employer doesn’t plan on letting me survive the night.That’s when I meet Lanzo Torrent. He’s gorgeous, chaotic, frustrating, and my only salvation. He says he can save my life, but I have to trust him first.Lanzo drags me into his war...Categorized as:
vengeance mafia contemporary suspense new adult forced proximity age difference length-medium -
Deep by Susan Fanetti
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsNick Pagano is a leader in the Pagano Brothers organization. As their head enforcer, it has been his responsibility to mete out justice, to seek retaliation, to uncover the secrets of Pagano enemies by any means necessary, and to sink deep the evidence of those means. It is work that requires keen vision and perfect control. It is work at which Nick excels. It is work that has made him dark... -
Jaded Devil by Nicole Fox
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI’LL SHOW HER WHAT A DEVIL DOES WHEN AN ANGEL FALLS INTO HIS LAP.I met her the day I killed her father.She stood there, soaked in his blood, and swore she’d make me pay when the time was right.Twenty years later, that day has come.She’s beautiful now.A dark temptation I never expected.But Renata Lombardi is in far over her head.Because she thinks this is a game of kill or be killed.She’s wrong... -
Mafia Crown by L. Steele
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsMine to destroy. Mine to ruin. She belongs to me...He’s my second chance.The man with the face of my first love.A terrifying and magnetically gorgeous man with brutal blue eyes.An outlaw whose very presence sucks the air from my lungs.A monster who doesn't remember his past, whose soul is shrouded in scars, pain, and darkness.A villain who refuses to acknowledge my very existence...Categorized as:
mafia vengeance contemporary multicultural arranged marriage from hate to love dark length-medium -
Possessive Devil by B. B. Hamel
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsGive me what I want and I'll obey.Calvino is a nightmare wrapped in a million dollar suit. He has eyes like the black between stars and his toned body is a sculptor's dream.And someone in his family murdered my cousin.When Calvino catches me drugging and stealing from his brother, my life hangs in the balance... -
Sins and Secrets by Kira Cole
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsDesperation sends me to the auction where the only thing I have to sell…is myself.The Marchetti Mafia runs this town. My dad has been under their thumb for years as the Boss’s personal consigliere. After facing death multiple times he’s now hanging on by a mere thread and I worry the next injury will be his last. They always say once you join the family you’re in it for life...Categorized as:
mafia vengeance age difference dark parents-bff contemporary super rich hero forbidden love -
Savage Beast by Kristen Luciani
He Stole My Kiss…Right Before He Stole Me.The second my brother’s ex-best friend tore off my clothes, I was obsessed. His ripped muscles, seductive smirk, and bad boy charm made my knees weak and everything else tingle ever since we were teenagers.I always dreamed I’d become the center of his world.I guess I should have been more specific about my wish.He ruined me...Categorized as:
vengeance mafia multicultural suspense super rich hero contemporary dark from hate to love -
Ruthless Heir by Aidèe Jaimes
If love is the deadliest weapon, I’m about to discover just how much I can bleed.My father always warned me against falling in love. That all it would bring is pain and betrayal. But when I meet Noah and his golden gaze trails over me like a fiery tongue that heats my skin, I want nothing more than to prove him wrong.I should know better... -
Beyond the Badge: Fletch by Jeanne St. James
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen a challenge comes along that should be resisted, is it best to fight the urge or just say screw it? Shane Fletcher loves his job as a state trooper. Even more so when he gets to work undercover.When the DEA creates a task force to stop the trafficking of meth into Pennsylvania by the Deadly Demons, an outlaw MC, Fletch jumps on the chance to be involved... -
Filthy Marcellos: The Complete Collection by Bethany-Kris
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsFilthy Marcellos: La Cosa Nostra is not just a choice of regime and routine, it’s a culture. Born as mafia royalty, the Marcello brothers were raised ingrained with the beliefs and rules of what it meant to be a Mafioso prince. It is for life. Their status is considered a given right. They will always be these people. They will always be Marcellos. Family first. God second... -
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Dark Seduction: An Age Gap, Office Romance by K.C. Crowne
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsWhat’s more humiliating than the walk of shame?Walking into your new job…Locking eyes with the dominating stranger.And realizing he’s your boss.Lev Ivanov.Dark. Commanding.The most irresistible silver fox I've ever seen.After rescuing me from a sketchy situation,He didn’t just suggest dinner— he demanded it. Curiosity won over caution, and that night became the most passionate of my life... -
Daddy's Orders by K.C. Crowne
I knew he wanted to punish me for my father’s dealings…I just never expected to enjoy it.A dark past hardened me, scarred me,Making it difficult to give a d*mn about relationships.Then comes along Emily.Fifteen years younger.The innocent virgin and daughter of the man I despise.She's twenty-three and drop dead fu*king gorgeous.My trousers tighten the moment we meet...Categorized as:
mafia vengeance age difference alpha male dark super rich hero virgin heroine contemporary -
Vow by Bethany-Kris
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThey say it’s always the one you least expect … Andino Marcello made his choices—the right ones for duty and famiglia. But even the right choices have consequences. He’s never been more aware of that fact than he is now. The thing is, Andino isn’t the same man he once was. The mafia wants what it wants. He’ll push until they all break. Even her... -
Empire of Lies by Kylie Kent
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThirty years ago, I left Italy. I left him behind to marry another man. I thought I was leaving alone; I didn’t know I was carrying a piece of him with me... -
Dirty Pool by Bethany-Kris
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsTo get what he wants, he’ll have to play a game of dirty pool. Michel Marcello never wanted to be a mafioso like every other man in his family—he wanted to be more. That doesn’t mean he’s unfamiliar with the life, or that he can’t hold his own against other made men... -
The Thief by Zoe Blake
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI will stop at nothing to get the information I need. No matter how much she fights me… I will win in the end. My little thief cannot steal away, I don’t care how hard she tries. Daddy’s in charge now. She either follows my rules, or there will be consequences… painful ones. This is a dark romance daddy dom series. There are no sweet hugs and kisses from these domineering daddies... -
The Expert by Zoe Blake
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI control everything about her life... she just doesn't know it.Despite her dangerous profession she has an air of naïve innocence.It makes her weak, vulnerable... easy prey for a man like me.Until now, I've been content to stay in the shadows, but someone has made a deadly mistake, they have threatened what's mine.My little one is about to understand that Daddy is done watching... -
Respect by Aleatha Romig
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRespect - An Infidelity series Novel “The making of a man” An EPIC mafia love story not to be missed. From New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Aleatha Romig comes a stand-alone novel, a spin-off from her beloved Infidelity series... -
The CEO of Cristo by Sophie Lark
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI Lost The Love Of My Life…My best friend betrayed me.He stole my company and my freedom.I might have forgiven that. But there’s one thing I’ll never forgive. He ripped my love from my arms and wrapped her up in his.He sent me to Hell. Now I’m back. For her, and for my revenge… “The CEO of Cristo ” is a Secret Baby Billionaire Romance, inspired by Alexandre Dumas’ “The Count of Monte Cristo”... -
What Grows Dies Here by Anne Malcom
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratings“You will be loved many times by many men. But you will only ever love one man. And that man will be your destruction.”Wren Whitney lives a beautiful life. She is a child of Beverly Hills, growing up in boarding schools, on private jets—a life of extreme wealth and privilege.Wren Whitney lives for adventure. She is afraid of nothing. She says no to nothing... -
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Kayne's Fury: A Savage Saints MC by J. Lynn Lombard
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsKayneAs President of Savage Saints, his lone obligation is to his club.He is fierce in his loyalty to his brothers.He is ruthless. He has bled and killed for his Club.He's determined to go legit. To restore destruction left by his Sister Chapter. To renew the integrity of Savage Saints.His Club is his world. There is no room for anything else.His hard work is in jeopardy... -
Dubious / Consent by Charmaine Pauls
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA DARK MAFIA ROMANCE"Perversely hot, gritty, and richly textured, Valentina and Gabriel's story is one of the best dark romances I've read." -- Anna Zaires, New York Times bestselling author of Twist MeI'm a loan shark. Breaking people is in my blood. The Haynes's were supposed to be a straightforward job. Go in and pull the trigger twice. One bullet for Charlie, one for his sister... -
Vito: Santoro Mafia book 2 by Lora Nox
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDeciding to come back to find my brother’s murderer? Easy. Staying away from the one who could get me killed? Not so easy. EdenNine years ago, I ran from this city. Now, I’ve returned to find my brother’s murderer... -
Lethal Lover by Kristen Luciani
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsFans of scorching hot hate to love captive romances will devour the final explosive book in the VENGEFUL VILLAINS Dark Mafia series by USA Today bestselling author Kristen Luciani! Ready for a dark contemporary enemies to lovers romance with no cheating and an HEA? Then scroll up and one-click on LETHAL LOVER today!Publisher's LETHAL LOVER contains explicit and mature content and graphic violence...Categorized as:
mafia vengeance from hate to love suspense forced proximity arranged marriage dark humor -
Explosive Union by Brooke Summers
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNever underestimate a woman who’s been hurt… The vengeance she has will be beautiful.Jade Gallagher has sacrificed more than most for her family.Being sent to prison for a crime she didn’t commit was only the beginning.Five years she spent biding her time and coming up with the perfect revenge plan for those that harmed her while she was incarcerated...Categorized as:
vengeance mafia suspense mystery contemporary new adult from hate to love arranged marriage -
Anchor Point by Sarah Daniels
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJustinI came from humble beginnings and had to work hard for everything I had. Everything from the shirt on my back to my next meal was hard earned.When I met Val in high school, I wasn’t expecting to find my best friend, my partner in crime… I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with her.Graduating from college and going our separate ways, we promised to keep in touch...
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